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6 RV-Friendly Events for Summer 2018

Imagine taking in great musical acts and family fun, just 5 minutes from your front door.

By Mike Jacobs Mike is passionate about sharing his love for the North with the rest of the world.

September 25, 2024

We love RVing—it puts you right in the middle of the action, no matter what you’re doing. Want to go for a paddle? The river is five minutes away. Want to spend some time in nature, but don’t want to drive three hours to get there? Simple: just take the RV and stay a week. Want to see some of Canada’s top festivals, but don’t want to drive home every night, or sleep in a sweaty tent on the ground? The RV is your friend. So embrace the benefits of the RV life and check out these festivals this summer.

Stars and Thunder

Timmins, Ontario - June 24 to July 1, 2018

Fireworks display at Stars and Thunder. Photo: David Laneville

Big stars like Burton Cummings, the Beach Boys, and Bryan Adams are headlining this festival, but it’s really the international-class fireworks display that steals the show here. Imagine taking in one of the best fireworks displays in the province while sitting outside the front door of your RV. It’s a bit late to be booking this one now, but if you can find a spot, the festival offers RV parking and takes you into the amazing natural playground that is Timmins and Northeastern Ontario. We highly recommend the Great Legends Tour for a pre- or post-event tour. The entire route is RV-friendly. Learn more about the Stars and Thunder Festival here.

Mattawa Voyageur Days

Mattawa, Ontario - July 17 to 29, 2018

Fishing derby on the river at the Mattawa Voyageur Days

Located at the meeting point of the Mattawa and Ottawa rivers in the shadows on the Laurentian mountains, this festival is a testament to hard rocking Canadianness. Tribute bands doing pop and rock, all under the watchful eye of Big Joe Mufferaw, make it clear that the lumberjack spirit of working hard and playing hard is still alive in Mattawa. There’s lumberjack shows as well as tours of the dam and helicopter rides high above the meeting point of the two rivers. You’ll soon discover why the Voyageurs always stopped in Mattawa.

Haunted Fort Night at Fort William Historical Park

Thunder Bay, Ontario - October 4 to 28, 2018

October is a little late in the season for most RVers, but this event is a great stopover for people headed to warmer locales. At $35/night for a serviced site, this is a great bargain. Fort William Historical Park is a full recreation of what was once the world’s largest fur trading post. The current site aims to recreate for visitors what life was like in Canada in the early 1800s. While we don’t have many details on the event itself, we can imagine there will be a Fort William signature take on Halloween. We’ll update this article as details become available. Click here to learn more about RVing to the Fort William Historical Park.

Great Canadian Kayak Festival

Timmins, Ontario - August 24 to 26, 2018

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, this festival celebrates life outdoors. For those who love to paddle, or just dabble, there’s a competitive section for everyone, including the most casual paddler. Heck, you can even compete against the mayor of Timmins! RV Parking supplied by East View RV Park Timmins, and costs $40 a night for a full-service site. There’s plenty to do in Timmins, and lots of amenities at the festival in addition to the kayak races themselves.

Sutton Bay RV Park Country Fest

Temiskaming Shores, Ontario - July 27 to 29, 2018

If you love the warm feeling of a down-home country jamboree, this is the event for you. On the Temiskaming Loop, this is another event that takes place mid-way on an incredible drive. What we really love about Country Fest is the feeling of being immersed in a community full of heart. The artists may not be top-billing, but they perform with incredible passion, and the RV community here loves them for it.

Kapuskasing Lumberjack Heritage Festival

Kapuskasing, Ontario - July 27, 28 & 29, 2018

The Kapuskasing Lumberjack Festival is a truly northern festival that celebrates everything about the history of forestry in the North with lumberjack sports, musical acts, and the potential for a bit of off-road fun, if that's your thing. ATV and off-road bike trails abound around Kapuskasing. RV parking is available at the Welcome Centre, which is a very short walk from the festival grounds. LaForge RV camping is also close by, and RV parking will be available at no cost during the festival!

If we’ve missed an RV-friendly event, and you think we should list it in this article, please shoot us a message through our Facebook page!

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About Mike Jacobs

Mike is an avid Northern traveller, having spent years traversing its backroads, and visiting its remote lodges and fun cities by car, RV, motorcycle, and boat. There's always something new to discover in the North and Mike never shies away from the next great adventure. Mike is the chairman of the board for the Tourism Technology Company.